Lake County Coroner’s Office Investigation of a Death
Posted Oct 23 2008 1:35pm
Notes from a recent presentation I did to discuss how much work goes on with (and it is by no means all-inclusive):
Lake County Coroner’s Office Investigation of a Death
The Call: The On Call Deputy receives the call of a Death General Information about the Deceased if available (may take several calls)
The Scene: Collection of Evidence, Photodocumentation Collection of Personal Property and Physical Evidence (Chain of Custody) The Body Preliminary Drug testing (Urine draw) Interviewing of Witnesses and Family
Types of Scenes (many are “Messy”): Train Tracks Highways and Byways Homes Burned Homes Fields and Streams “Scary” Homes (see above) Hospital Nursing Home
“Bad Scenes”: Trains The Decomposed Fire Motor Vehicle Accidents Gun Shot Wounds Infants
Making Identification: Wallet Content Live Scan, fingerprinting Forensic Odontology, Forensic Anthropologist DNA Sampling
Notification: Find Next of Kin (can take quite a bit of work) Notify of death Discuss Office Procedures and Protocols affecting the Decedent Get support for family if necessary (brochures and website references)
X-Rays
Autopsy: Procedure itself, Assisting Pathologist Photodocumentation Collection of Evidence Toxicology from blood urine, vitreous, bile, liver, brain (rarely maggots)
Paperwork: Call Sheet, Data Sheet, Narrative, Call Log, Personal Notes Temporary Death Certificate, Permanent Death Certificate Police Report, EMS Report Medical Records reviewed Toxicology Report Fingerprints Autopsy Report Verdict Sheet Letters to Family
Case Conferences: Presenting Case Investigation Details Deciding Manner of Death Closing Case and Final Death Certificate
Community Outreach: Pre-Prom Demonstrations Career Fairs Office Tours Driver’s Ed Science & Health Classes at High Schools and Colleges
Parents Groups Suicide Prevention Task Force Child Death Review Team
Nursing Home Death Repoprting Pilot Project
Key “Partners” we work with: Law Enforcement Agencies, Fire Departments, MEG (local Durg "Enforcement" Groups) Major Crimes Task Force and Major Crash Accident Team NCIS OSHA CPSC DCFS DEA FBI FAA, NTSB Hospitals AFIS, LEADS
The Call:
The On Call Deputy receives the call of a Death
General Information about the Deceased if available (may take several calls)
The Scene:
Collection of Evidence, Photodocumentation
Collection of Personal Property and Physical Evidence (Chain of Custody)
The Body
Preliminary Drug testing (Urine draw)
Interviewing of Witnesses and Family
Types of Scenes (many are “Messy”):
Train Tracks
Highways and Byways
Homes
Burned Homes
Fields and Streams
“Scary” Homes (see above)
Hospital
Nursing Home
“Bad Scenes”:
Trains
The Decomposed
Fire
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Gun Shot Wounds
Infants
Making Identification:
Wallet Content
Live Scan, fingerprinting
Forensic Odontology, Forensic Anthropologist
DNA Sampling
Notification:
Find Next of Kin (can take quite a bit of work)
Notify of death
Discuss Office Procedures and Protocols affecting the Decedent
Get support for family if necessary (brochures and website references)
X-Rays
Autopsy:
Procedure itself, Assisting Pathologist
Photodocumentation
Collection of Evidence
Toxicology from blood urine, vitreous, bile, liver, brain (rarely maggots)
Paperwork:
Call Sheet, Data Sheet, Narrative, Call Log, Personal Notes
Temporary Death Certificate, Permanent Death Certificate
Police Report, EMS Report
Medical Records reviewed
Toxicology Report
Fingerprints
Autopsy Report
Verdict Sheet
Letters to Family
Case Conferences:
Presenting Case Investigation Details
Deciding Manner of Death
Closing Case and Final Death Certificate
Community Outreach:
Pre-Prom Demonstrations
Career Fairs
Office Tours
Driver’s Ed
Science & Health Classes at High Schools and Colleges
Suicide Prevention Task Force
Child Death Review Team
Key “Partners” we work with:
Law Enforcement Agencies, Fire Departments, MEG (local Durg "Enforcement" Groups)
Major Crimes Task Force and Major Crash Accident Team
NCIS
OSHA
CPSC
DCFS
DEA
FBI
FAA, NTSB
Hospitals
AFIS, LEADS